Autumn walk '08
We often get asked about how to go about setting up a chalet business in the Alps. Often the underlying question is “I’d like to come and live in the Alps, how can I make a living?”. Obviously the subject is pretty vast and there would probably be a market for a book on the subject. There is certainly a market for loads of magazines and websites. Here follows my “quick” reply.
- There are many ways to earn a living whilst living in the mountains. One of them is to run a catered chalet business. It may be the least profitable though, especially when you take into account the hours involved.
- If you happen to have a million Euros in cash handy then it is a fairly reasonable way to spend your time. You invest the money in a chalet, you make a living from the income the business provides and if you invest wisely (and if the market plays ball) your capital investment can grow.
- If you are very handy and speak reasonable French you could buy a renovation project (200,000 to 400,000 Euros then 100,000 to 200,000 Euros on materials), you can then renovate yourself and turn your investment of time and money into something worthwhile. Don’t imagine you can get away without speaking French though; you’ll have to deal with planning applications, French tax, French regulations (health and safety etc), French electricians and your neighbours! Employing builders to do the work and taking out a large mortgage can really mess up the finances.
If dead set on the “Chalet Business” route then consider:
- Getting a job working for someone else. You’ll get to know the business, make the mistakes for someone else! You’ll get to know the area too and might find yourself a property when “on the ground”.
- Taking 3 months off to tour around the Alps, start with getting to know the areas you might be interested in, then home in on one and concentrate your search on that. Start after the February holidays so that’ll leave you with March/April/May, you’ll be getting serious towards the end of the season – just when people have a bit more time to spend with you. Come to think of it – May can be a bad month – too many bank holidays – difficult to get the local population to concentrate!
Autumn walk '08
Within Alpine Property we have a lot of expertise in your area of interest. All the businesses mentioned are “legit” French business – none of them are “British” businesses operating in France!
- Steve Norris – MD, fluent French speaker, actually seems to enjoy French bureaucracy. Loves France more than the French – oddly that is quite an unusual trait amongst the British Ex-Pats In France. Second business www.alptitude.com
- Gareth Jefferies – Ops Director, second businesses www.endlessride.com and www.endlesstrails.co.uk
- Lee Massey, second business, project managing new build and renovation projects.
- Claudia Buttet, Dutch/French/English speaker, project manager, chalet builder, long time estate agent.
- Denis Barbier, fist of all a chalet builder (it’s in the blood), http://www.alpes-chalets74.com/knows everything there is to know on the subject.
So as far as tradesmen are concerned we can certainly point you in the right direction. It would depend on which area you settled. For the Portes du Soleil it would be Claudia, Lee or Gareth that can advise. For Samoëns it would be Denis. If you settle on Chamonix or Megève it would be Jean-Christophe Skiera or for the Aravis, Emma Casanova (her second business is chalet and apartment management). If it was Les Carroz then Richard Owens (another with a good relevant second business – http://www.lacortiena.com/.
The pictures of the “Autumn Walk” were taken on a walk above Morzine in November ’08, Steve and Gareth “bunk off” work for the day. We were back at our desks by lunchtime! All the pictures can be found here.
Posted by Gareth 
